


Rose-Red Slippers

by theoriginalicecreamqueen



Series: Coldflash Week 2017B [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Ancient Egyptian Deities, Ancient Egyptian Literature & Mythology, Coldflash Week 2017, M/M, Myth Style, Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 12:26:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12254364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoriginalicecreamqueen/pseuds/theoriginalicecreamqueen
Summary: Egypt is out of balance after the reign of Pharaoh Lewis, but the God Horus has a plan to make things right again.





	Rose-Red Slippers

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to vamptigergal, for being patient with all my writing once again, and always being willing to read through my utter barrage of writing!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy :)

The city of Central was, like the name suggested, close to the center of northern Egypt. It was near the mouth of the Nile River, and the epicenter for foreign trade in the land. Pharaoh Lewis the Cruel had severely weakened the nation, and the Persians had used the chance to attack. And thus the Pharaoh Leonard the Fair founded Central to bring wealth back to their lands. It was a city intended to house all the foreign traders that had come to call Egypt their home.

 

It was here that the a trader who went by the name Joseph of the West settled with his two children, Iris and Wallace. His true home was far away, in the Western-most corner of the known world, but he’d long since grown a taste for land of Egypt, so when he made a fortune all his own he chose to settle in the city of Central. 

 

One day, while enjoying the markets of Central with Iris and Wallace, they came across a crowd gathered. Curious, Wallace and Iris prompted their father to make their way to the center of the crowd to see what was causing this such a ruckus. Joseph was surprised to discover the crowd was focused around the slave market, at least until he saw who was currently on the block.

 

It was the most beautiful young man he’d seen in all his long years. He was obviously Greek, with skin the color of lily petals and cheeks and lips the matching color of a red rose. Joseph could barely catch a glimpse of his downturned emerald eyes as the young man tried to avoid the piercing gazes of the crowd.

 

The family from the West made it to the front of the gathering just as the bidding began. Joesph was determined that this beautiful young creature should belong to him. As one of the wealthiest men in Central, it was an easy feat to accomplish, and so the angelic Grecian boy was welcomed into their home.

 

The family from the West learned the man was named Bartholomew, and that he prefered to be called Barry. He had been stolen from his home by the dread pirate Eobard Thawne as a young boy. Thawne had slaughtered his parents, half his island, and had taken Barry as a prize. He was kept on the ship and forced to work for the cruel man.

 

Barry claimed they were horrible years, and that a fellow slave, a philosopher called Harrison, had been his only true companion. Harrison had told him about all kinds of fantastical beings, and Barry loved to share those stories. 

 

As Barry had grown closer to fully leaving his boyhood behind, Thawne had fallen on hard times and been forced to sell his prized boy to pay for his ship repairs. Joseph had never been so thankful for another’s suffering. He supposed if the price had to be paid by such a vicious man than the gods would forgive him for it. After all, what kind of monster must a man be to be able to harm such a creature as Barry?

 

Iris and Wallace were as quickly taken with Barry as Joseph. The boy was as intelligent and kind as he was marvelous to behold, and it had taken no time at all for Barry to become a true part of their family. He was given his own house on their estate and slaves to attend to all of the boy's needs. Everything that Barry desired, Joseph made sure was given to him. 

 

One day summer day, something strange upset the delicate balance of their small family.

 

The day had started off normal. Barry was enjoying the cool, crystal pools of Joseph’s gardens with Iris and Wallace. The three young ones had divested themselves of all their finery to swim, and put their trusted handmaidens in charge of their protection. Suddenly, an eagle swooped down from the heavens and stole a single red slipper as the humans around it fled from the sharp talons. The great bird flew from the grouping quickly, the slipper in its grasp.

 

Barry cried out, for it was his slipper that was stolen. The set it belonged to was one of the first gifts given to him by Joseph. The retired trader had bought them for Barry, claiming that the rose-red color reminded him of the color of Barry’s cheeks on the day they’d met. 

 

So he wept at the loss, both of his slipper and such a treasured memory. Iris and Wallace tried in vain to comfort him, but Barry was inconsolable. He couldn’t believe he’d lost such a precious gift, and to an eagle no less!

 

Barry and the family from the West, as foreigners, didn’t understand the role of the eagle in their adopted home. Eagles were the sacred bird of the god Horus. It was said by the priest that the Pharaoh was Horus and Horus was the Pharaoh. And since it was Horus who sent the eagle, it was the Pharaoh who received it’s gift. 

 

The eagle flew straight from Central to Memphis. It didn’t stop until it reached the palace. At the hour the eagle finally reached the palace, Pharaoh Leonard was holding his court in the great courtyard. People throughout the lands came here to voice their complaints and, unlike his father, the pharaoh listened to them all. Great or small, Leonard felt they had the right to be heard.

 

It was during the complaint of the priestess Chay-ara that the eagle flew overhead, stopping only long enough to drop the single, red-rose slipper into the lap of Pharaoh Leonard. The people cried out in surprise, and even the usually unshakeable Pharaoh betrayed his surprise. 

 

Unlike Barry and the family from the West, the Pharaoh knew what the eagle meant. So he looked upon the slipper carefully. It was a beautiful piece. The craftsmanship, coloring, and size all spoke to the beauty and wealth of its wearer. Leonard knew that this was a sign from Horus. Whoever this show belonged to was meant for him, and it was his duty to find them. 

 

So the Pharaoh issued the issued the following decree:

 

“Let my messengers go throughout my lands and beyond with this single slipper, for it’s mate must be found! Horus had shown me that the owner of this fine slipper is to be my bride or husband. This shoe will fit only my intended, and they alone will be able to produce the matching piece.”

 

And so the Pharaoh's messengers left. Mick, the Pharaoh's most loyal advisor, and the Pharaoh's own golden sister traveled with the King’s prized slipper in search of its mysterious owner. By great fortune, it took only two short weeks for the slipper to make it way back to Central. While in the city of Central, the Pharaoh's messengers heard stories of the riches of the family from the West, so they called upon their home to see if he could have purchased the red slipper.

 

It was Barry and Iris who they found, in the same pool where the slipper was first taken. Barry was delighted when he saw the messengers carried his slipper. The messengers, in turned, were overjoyed to see how the slipper fit, for their search was at an end.

 

The slippers mate was fetched for proof, as Barry had been too upset to part with it. After seeing the slipper, Mick and Lisa told Barry and the family from the West of Pharaoh's orders.

 

“The God Horus has shown us the way. The sacred eagle delivered this slipper to palace. You are to marry good god Pharaoh Leonard. There is a place of high honor waiting for you at the Royal House of Suitors.”

 

Such a command could not be disobeyed, so with a heavy heart Barry packed his many belongings and left the home of the family from the West. While they were sadden by Barry’s departure, the family understood that this was a gift of fortune from the gods.

 

When Leonard saw Barry’s beauty, and Barry saw his intended's magnificence, they were besotted with each other. Barry was wed to Leonard, and he was given the place of high honor as his husband and Prince of the Land of Egypt. 

 

They ruled the lands together for many years. It was a time of peace and prosperity, for Horus himself had blessed these two. He’d found a perfect pairing, two halves of a whole to live and rule together in perfect unity. And so Barry and Leonard, and the lands they ruled together, were balanced once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think either here or on Tumblr at theoriginalicecreamqueen.


End file.
